Small-scale fisheries in South Africa : stakeholder's understandings and perceptions of co-management

• Main Author: Schell, Natalie
• Other Authors: Sowman, Merla
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2015
• Subjects: Environmental Management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11172

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-166). === Co-management, which boasts sharing of power and responsibilities amongst all stakeholders involved, has been adopted as an approach to small-scale fisheries management in South Africa. However, the relative success of co-management differs between provinces, provinces which also have different institutional arrangements supporting co-management. In KwaZulu-Natal, arrangements continue to function whereas in the Eastern and Western Cape many have collapsed. Increasing research indicates that fostering shared perceptions (of objectives, approach, desired outcomes and communication infrastructure) towards resource management can improve management practices by obtaining greater community support, increasing understandings of site-specific conditions and improving conflict resolution amongst stakeholders. Thus it is the overall aim of this research project to identify stakeholders’ perceptions towards co-management theory and practice at four case study sites (Mfazazana, Nonoti, Swartkops, Ebenhaeser) to decipher any differences in perceptions and to discuss factors that are influencing these perceptions towards co-management. This has been achieved through a review of the relevant literature, a series of interviews with 40 different stakeholders (primarily fishers and government) and visits to the four case study sites.